Nonsinkable lifeboat



April 21, 1931. w. BARNETT 1,801,480

7 NONSINKABLE LIFE BOAT Filed Nov. 30. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. l mum/w BAR/VET) BY w. BARNETT NONSINKABLE LIFE BOAT April 21, 1931.

Filed Nov. 50, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i i ti I! 11 T M Z 0 A I;

W g 1? J5 4.9 W i 29 .31 50 j i 1 I w I N V EN TOR. WILL/AM BARNETT April 21, 1931. w BARNETT 1,801,480

NONSINKABLE LIFE BOAT Filed Nov. 30. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. WILL/AM BAH/VET? Patented Apr. 21', 1931 UNETED STATES PATENT @FFICE NOITSINKAZBLE LIFEBOAT Application filed November 30, 1929. Serial No. 410,738.

This invention relates to ships and more particularly to an improved life-saving vessel. 7

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a life-boat which can be launched from the deck of a passenger or other boat without danger of the occupants being cast into the sea or the boat being tipped over, the improved life boat being adapted to be launched from the carrying vessel by the use of a special launching device forming the subject matter of another 7 application executed on even date herewith.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a non-sinkable diving life-boat fully enclosed for protecting the passengers and crew from the elements with means for insuring a maximum amount of comfort and safety for the passengers and crew.

A further object of my invention is to provide a non-sinkable life-boat preferably constructed from metal with all joints welded to provide a substantially seamless body with novel pontoons surrounding the hull of the vessel stuffed or packed with cork or other light material, the sections'of the pontoons being placed in abutting relation relative to one another around the hull to form a guard for the hull against being rammed and the 3 like and to form an outboard deck or run way for facilitating the saving of persons in the water, the sections of pontoons effectively preventing the sinking of the vessel should one or more of the sections become punctured.

A further object of my invention isto provide novel seats for the passengers so constructed as to form a guard and protector for the passengers during the launching or diving of the life-boat from the deck of the steamer.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a hollow weighted keel for the life boat, the keel forming an efficient means for facilitating the righting of the vessel after diving and to form a well for the collection of seepage water. 7 V

A further object of my invention is the provision of novelly arranged racks for the 59 reception of life preservers, food, and the like, the under portions of the seats forming compartments for cans of water, condensed milk, gasoline, oil and the like, the empty cans acting as life preservers and means for preventing sinking of the boat, should the boat become submerged for any reason.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a non-sink able life-boat fully inclosed and having fore and aft rooms for the crew provided with suitable driving and steering mechanism.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a non-sinkablelife-boat of the above character,,which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved lifeboat.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of my improved life-boat.

Figure 4 is a transverse section through the life-boat taken on the line H of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through my improved life boat taken on the line 66 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 77 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows illustrating the arrangement of the seats and the means employed for strapping the passengers inthe seat'during the launching of the vessel.

Figure 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows showing the quarters for the crew and the engine and steering rooms.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates my improved life-boat, which comprises a hull preferably formed of sheet metal. All parts of the hull are preferably welded together so as to form a substantially seamless integral body. As clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, the hull 10 includes the opposite side walls 11 and 12 and the substan tially fiat lower wall 13 which has depending therefrom at its longitudinal center the relatively deep well or keel. 14 which evtcnds the entire length of the boat. The opposite ends of the boat have the side walls 11 and 12 tapered inwardly as at 15 to provide sharp leading edges 15 for effectively cutting and riding through the waves. It is to be noted that the interior of the well or keel 14 can communicate with the hull and forms a means for collecting slop water and the like. The opposite walls of the keel are preferably inclined downwardly and inwardly toward one another and the inside of this keel or well receives the longitudinally extending weighted keel beam 17, which forms means for keeping the vessel in an upright condition at all times. The vessel is preferably provided with an arcute top wall 18 which connects with the opposite side walls 11 and 12. The forward ends of the top Wall 18 are tapered and inclined outwardly to provide front and rear walls 19 and 20 respectively and these walls 19 and 20 are curved transverselv so as to form means for shedding and dividing the water or waves.

Projecting toward the extreme opposite ends of the boat from the front and rear walls 19 and 20 are the downwardly inclined decks 21 and 22 which connect with the tapered front and rear portions 15 of the side walls 11 and 12. By this arrangement, it can be seen that a substantially inclosed vessel has been provided in which the opposite ends thereof are formed alike so as to permit the same to be operated from either end.

The sides of the top wall 18 are provided with suitable port holes 23, which can be provided with the usual hinged glass panels. The opposite sides of the top wall 18 at the transverse center of the boat is also provided with doors 24 which are also preferably of the port hole type so that when the same are closed a complete air and water tight closure will be had. Suitable ventilators 25 are carried by the extreme upper ends of the top Wall 18. The front and rear walls 19 and 20 can be provided with window lights 26.

Surrounding the entire hull and substantially at the water level thereof are pontoons 27 and these pontoons project out from the hull as clearly shown in Figures 2 3, 4, and 8 of the drawings. The pontoons 27 are preferably made in independent sections 28 and each of these sections are packed with cork or other suitable buoyant material and the upper face of the pontoons 27 is covered by suitable decking 30 which constitutes a walk around the boat and a life-saving platform for rescuing persons in the water.

The decking at its outer side can be pro vided with rails 31 as shown. It is also contemplated of providing belts having straps for hooking over supporting loops carried by the side walls of the top so that persons from the deck will not be washed away and will have both hands free to facilitate the rescuing of persons.

The arrangement of the pontoons is such that if one or more sections become punctured the same will not materially effect the buoyancy of the boat and the pontoons afford pro tection against the boat from being rammed. Further in view of the fact that the sections of the pontoons are packed with cork the sections will still serve their buoyant function even if the same do become punctured. The pontoons also furnish buoyancy to keep the boat on an even lteel and thus keep the same from rolling in a heavy sea. The pontoons also make the boat practically unsinkable as all of the sections would never be simultaneously destroyed. However, even without the pontoons the boat would be still seaworthy. The pontoon sections are all air tight and they are filled with block cork so that when damaged they will still be serviceable as pointed out above.

I preferably divide the boat into a main passenger compartment and a fore and aft crew and officers compartments 41 and 42 by means of a front and rear transverse partition 43 and 44. The rear compartment 42 also constitutes the engine and steering room and a suitable platform 45 is arranged in the compartment 42 for the reception of a gasoline or like engine 46 which is geared up to a propeller shaft 47 extending out of the boat. This propeller shaft carries asuitable screw propeller 48 which is normally housed within the hull so that the same will be protected by the hull during the launching of the boat, the hull at this point being slotted to permit the blade to act upon the water. Likewise in. this portion of the hull is mounted a steering rudder 49 which is preferably held inward within the plane of the hull by suitable mechanism such as a windlass and cable 50.

The upper end of the rudder 29 is pivotally connected as at 51 to the steering shaft 52 which can be operatively connected to a steering wheel 53 arranged in the compartment 42.

I also prefer to provide a steering mechanism within the compartment 41 and thus a steering wheel 54 is arranged in this compartment and operatively connected to the rudder shaft 55 of the rudder 56. This rudder 56 is likewise disposed in a compartment 57 formed in the front of the boat to permit the effective housing thereof against injury and 3 mum amount of convenience for the at the same time to permit the same to have its function of acting on the water.

In the main passenger compartment I arrange on the opposite sides" thereof longitudinal rows of seats, for the passengers, which are of a. novel construction as will be now described. These seats are indicated by the reference character 58 and are preferably formed from metal and each includes a seat bottom 59 and an arcuate seat back 60 which extends over the head of the user as shown in Figure 7 of the drawings and indicated by the reference character 61. The side walls of the seat back 60 form an effective guard for the passengers during the launching of the ship and it can be seen that the passenger can lay against these side walls in a comfortable position during the launching or diving of the life-boat from the deck of a steam vessel. 1 also prefer to provide waist and seat straps 62, so that the passengers can be strapped in their seats during the launching of the vessel and thus held against injury. Passengers can sleep with reasonable comfort while strapped in their chairs or seats, no matter if the sea is rough, which is impossible in the ordinary open life-boat.

I also prefer to provide a longitudinally extending upright central covering 63 in the vessel so as to form a covering for the well and this covering may be divided at its transverse center to form a passageway 64 so that passengers can go from oneside of the boat to the other. In order to provide a maxipassengers the fore and aft compartments 41 and 42 can be provided with toilets and the like. Depending from the top wall 18 is longitudinally extending racks 63 which may be used for the purpose of supporting lifebelts, food and the like. I also prefer to provide small chairs or frames to be hung from the walls above the water level for the reception of small children and the frames or chairs can be provided with warm waterproof tarpaulin to keep the children dry and warm. Thus if for any reason the boat should ship water, the small children would be kept above the Water level. Likewise the seat under the seat bottom can also be used as food storage compartments, cans of gasoline, oil, and the like and these cans are shown in Figure 7 of the drawings and indicated by the reference character 65.

I also prefer to arrange suitable guards and the like for children and infants so as to effectively protect the children and infants in the cabin.

It is to be noted that access is gained from one compartment to the other by suitable doors 66 which are carried by the partitions 43 and 44.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I provide an improved life-boat which is of substantially non-sinkable nature and which can be launched from the deck of a vessel on either side thereof without injury to the vessel or the passengers and crew thereof.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is z- 1. A life-boat adapted to be launched in an inclined posit-ion from the deck of a vessel comprising a hull formed of sheet metal having a top forming a continuation of the hull and forming a substantially closed body, a depending hollow keel struck from the bot tom of the vessel, a weight in the bottom of the keel, a pontoon completely surrounding the outer face of the hull at the water line thereof and projecting from the sides of the hull, the pontoon including a plurality of independent compartments, a deck surrounding the top of the pontoon defining a lifesaving platform, transverse partitions in the body defining a central large passenger compartment and end crew and engine compartments, longitudinal rows of seats in the passenger compartment, food racks and straps carried by the top wall and depending therefrom, and doors for permitting communication to be had between thedifferent compartments.

2. A life-boat adapted to be launched in an inclined position from the deck of a vessel comprising a hull formed of sheet metal having a top forming a continuation of the hull and forming a substantially closed body,

21 depending hollow keel struck from the bottom of the vessel, a weight in the bottom of the keel, a pontoon completely surrounding the outer face of the hull at the water line thereof and projecting from the sides of the hull, the pontoon including a plurality of independent compartments, a deck surrounding the top of the pontoon defining life-saving platform, transverse partitions in the body defining a life-saving platform, transverse partitions in the body defining a central large passenger compartment and end crew and engine compartments, food racks and straps carried by the top wall and depending therefrom, doors for permitting communication to be had between the compartments, each of said seats including a seat bottom and a back rest of substantially arouate shape in cross section including side walls and a top wall against which the passengers can rest during the launching of the boat, and straps associated with the seat for holding the passengers in said seats during the launching of the vessel.

3. A life boat comprising a hull formed of sheet metal and having a top forming a continuation of the hull to provide a completely closed body, entrance and exit doors for the body, said body including a flat bottom wall and flat side walls tapering toward the front and rear ends of the body, a pontoon carried by the side walls above the bottom wall and surrounding the hull at the water line thereof, and including a plurality of independent compartments, a flat deck on said pontoon forming a life saving platform, a longitudinally extending hollow depending keel formed on the bottom wall and forming a part of the hull, a weight in the bottom of said hollow keel, and partitions in said body forming independent compartments.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM BARNETT. 

